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Vietnamese Crab & Asparagus Soup, Sup Mang Tay Cua or Sup Mang Cua for short, is a soup dish we always have at the dinner table for weddings and holidays. I was very excited to make this soup, as live crabs have been $4.99/lb for some time, the lowest I've seen in my area. However, by the time Christmas Eve came around, my Asian grocery store high-jacked the price to $7.99/lb. Not cool. I noped it out of there and settled on imitation crab that I already had in my freezer. Frozen crab would have been better but none was available. Imitation crab, it was and soup still turned out great. w00t w00t!

Vietnamese Crab & Asparagus Soup (Sup Mang Tay Cua)

Vietnamese Crab & Asparagus soup is an elegant dish, which is why it's served only on special occasions. The broth is thick and clear, and the ingredients are plain in color. White asparagus, egg whites, white pepper and crab meat are traditionally used to elevate the elegance. I, on the other hand, just use whatever is more economical or what I have on hand. I went with green asparagus. White asparagus is rarely available and when it is, it costs twice as much. Canned white asparagus is an alternative, but I prefer fresh over canned any day. I also use egg yolks and not just egg whites. The yolks add more flavor and richness. Quail eggs are not required but they are a welcomed addition.

However you make it, it is a celebratory dish that tastes best when shared with family and friends. It's also a great appetizer to warm the belly for the onslaught of food during the holiday binge eating. Enjoy!